An Historic Day Indeed

An African-American man is the presumed nominee for the United States Democratic Party. 

His running mate may very well be a woman.

My district is starting discussions about online collaboration tools.

Technically, the first two events will wind up in history books, but #3 is definitely up there in my book.  I never doubted that our IT team and administrators would open a discussion about Web2.0, but I didn’t think it would be so soon.  I am thrilled.

Topics in our discussion included:

• Possibly expediating the process of unblocking websites for teachers.  Our current process has recently left one of our administrators swamped with requests (Yea! Teachers “digging” for what they need).   I’ll be submitting a list of sites that I’ve used in my PLN that I believe would benefit staff members.
• Future use of blogs, wikis, discussion boards with staff and students.  We’ll need to review our AUP to make sure it’s flexible enough to cover the use of such tools.
• Obvious need of professional development for staff who want to use the tools with students, especially online safety and appropriate use.
• Including PLN’s, Web2.0 tools, and AUP’s as part of a November ‘08 professional development day.
• We created a private blog for our Technology department!  Usually we meet once a month, face-to-face, to discuss a laundry list of tech. issues.  Now, some of those issues can be resolved by discussions taking place online!  I’m very excited and hope that it is successful!

We’ve taken a step in the right direction. 

 

Hey…You….Guuuuys (and Gals)!!!

Attention Administrators and Educators

Maybe you’re a classroom teacher interested in the “next big thing” in education. Maybe you’re an administrator.  Maybe you’re one of my administrators.  I have an important message for all of you.  I want to be part of the Learning Revolution.  I want you to discover the Learning Revolution.  Does “Learning Revolution” sound intriguing?  Want to learn more?  Well, from what I’ve found, there’s no easy way to summarize it.  Summer vacation is approaching so we’ll all have a ton of free time (yeah, right).  Here’s a little research that will fill up your free time and most likely throw your views of education for a loop.  That’s what happened to me:

Visit these sites:

North American Council for Online Learning
“Blocking the Future” by Scott McLeod published on The School Administrator, May 2008
Castle:  UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education Iowa State University
“Middle Schoolers and MySpace”by Bill Ferriter published on The Tempered Radical
“Preparing Students to Succeed in the 21st Century” by Liz Davis published on The Power of Educational Technology
“School AUP 2.0″by David Warlick published on 2cents Worth
“Get Past Teaching Apps:  Build and Use a Student Technology Toolbelt” by Vicki Davis published on Cool Cat Teacher Blog
“The Evolution of PD” by Vicki Davis published on Cool Cat Teacher Blog
“Beyond the Fear Factor with Internet Safety” by Wesley Fryer published on Moving at the Speed of Creativity
“My Greatest Hits” by Liz Davis published on The Power of Educational Technology
“Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators”by Kathy Schrock published on Discovery Education

Watch these videos:

 ”We Think” posted on The Thinking Stick
“Wikis in Plain English”by CommonCraft
“Blogs in Plain English” by CommonCraft
“The Machine is Us/ing Us”  by mwesch on YouTube

 

Read These Books:

A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink
The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
Here Comes Everyone by Clay Shirky
Everything is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger
The Media Equation by Byron Reeves & Clifford Nass
Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century by David Warlick
 

I’ll also be reading and collaborating on these subjects.  Let’s meet in September to discuss our endless options.  We can discuss professional development, AUP’s, Internet safety, Web2.0, etc, etc, etc.

**Have these blog posts and sites caught your interest?  Want to stay on top of the newest posts?  Set up an RSS Reader (such as Google Reader).  Simple explanation and instructions on RSS In Plain English by Common Craft.

Readers:  Please add to this list…I know there are great sites that I’m missing!  Thanks.

Title from:  The Electric Company Television Show 
Picture by: NECC Button contest winner:  Bill Moseley

Spreading the “Good News”

Maybe it’s because I’m sensitive to the issue, but this week, I’ve noticed a slight theme in the Twitters and blogs I’ve been following:  Most of the world doesn’t understand the power of social networking.  Specifically, folks don’t understand how Web 2.0 tools can help allof us learn and grow, especially if used correctly with school children.  Over the past few weeks, I’ve plugged myself in to this world and consider this past-time to be personal and professional research.  I know I have a long way to go, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made so far.

That being said, I’m wondering why so many people, as Dean Shareski pointed out, think these tools are a fad.  Why isn’t the battle cry for the expansion of technology in our schools louder and therefore more difficult to ignore?   Why are so many districts writing policies which limit or ban social networking, rather than promote their use through safe guidelines and support systems?  One reason could be bad press.

Bad press is better than no press at all?  Maybe, maybe not.  Right now, the majority of key players (administrators, teachers and parents) are not active participants in a social networking system.  I’m guessing they hear about tools such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, etc. via 1) their pre-teen, teenage or college age children or 2) TV or newspapers. 

Parents are led to believe that the sites are a sort of online scrapbook that kids can share with their friends.  Television leads them to believe the sites are dangerous.  (see “Beatrice, you’re way off“ ) Based on those influences why would parents, administrators,  or teachers support the use of social networking tools in school?   What the social networking world needs in good press.

Yes, many very intelligent and highly motivating people are dedicating their careers and lives to making real change in educational technology.  We should all be very thankful to their efforts.  A bit of mainstream positive press wouldn’t hurt the movement, would it?  The last I noticed was the coverage on the Congressional hearing on Second Life by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  It may not have been exactly positive, but at least it wasn’t negative.  (side-note:  Did Congress ever come to any conclusions about SL?  If they did, most of the mainstream news missed it.)

I’ll do my part to spread “good news” about social networking.  My next evil plan (muahahahaha…) is to post our school’s photos on Flickr.   Hopefully our teachers, administrators and parents will have a chance to use these tools themselves, and create a more informed opinion.